Christina Kubisch & Eckehard Güther – Unter Grund

Finding the mysticism in everyday life, Christina Kubisch & Eckehard Güther sculpt elaborate electro-acoustic field recordings with “Unter Grund”. Quite lush in terms of their sonic detail not a single element goes unnoticed. Much of the sound has a journey-like quality to it while the origin of the sound slowly comes into view. By opting for such a style the pieces resonant on an intellectual as well as an emotional level. Sounds positively teem with life for the duo chooses to amplify the busy moments in a life that so often go completely unnoticed.

By far the highlight of the album comes with the title track and opener “Unter Grund”. Aptly named, the way the song evolves is one that feels nearly submerged most of the time. Liquids slosh about with a vigorous energy. Melody and rhythm emerge though in an extremely indirect way. Layer upon layer of sound is applied in a masterful way while the entirety of the sonic spectrum does wonders in terms of letting piece expand upon its limited view. Gradually the rest of the world comes into view while the piece itself gets quite heavily saturated. For the latter half of the piece the duo descends into a virtual cacophony, far away from the gentle beginnings. Closing things on a reflective note is the sedate style of “Vision” where the sound ebbs and flows until it evaporates away.